Pastor Zoe Hatcher shared a powerful message at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, Pennsylvania, reminding us that God’s love is not distant or detached from our reality. In this message, we are invited to see salvation not as something far away or unreachable, but as something God brings directly into the middle of our lives—right where we are.

Watch now.

Where Is God When Life Feels “In Between”?

Life doesn’t always feel clear or settled. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like heaven, and it doesn’t feel like hell either. It feels like the space in between—uncertain, painful, unresolved.

This is exactly the place Scripture shows us that God chooses to enter.

In Isaiah 7:10–16 (NLT), God speaks to King Ahaz during a moment of fear and political instability:

“Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.” (Isaiah 7:11, NLT)

Ahaz refuses. On the surface, his response sounds spiritual:

“No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.” (Isaiah 7:12, NLT)

But the refusal isn’t rooted in faith—it’s rooted in avoidance. Ahaz doesn’t really want to hear what God might say.

And yet, God gives a sign anyway.

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14, NLT)

The sign doesn’t remain in heaven.
It doesn’t descend into the depths.
It arrives right here—in human life.

Why Would God Choose a Sign Like This?

This prophecy carries what is often called a double fulfillment.

In the immediate sense, it assured Ahaz that the kings he feared would fall within a few years. But it also pointed forward to something far greater—God’s ultimate plan of salvation through Jesus.

Matthew confirms this later fulfillment:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ “(Matthew 1:23, NLT)

This is not just a theological idea. It is a declaration of where God chooses to be.

What Does “God With Us” Really Mean?

God’s sign did not arrive with power, comfort, or polish. It arrived in vulnerability.

Jesus was not born in a palace. There was no room for Him. Mary gave birth on the dirt, in a place that was less than ideal. The scene was painful, not pretty.

This matters—because it tells us something essential about God’s character.

God did not wait for the world to clean itself up before entering it. He did not stand at a safe distance from human suffering. He chose to be with us in it.

The sign God gave was not located “as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead” (Isaiah 7:11, NLT).
It landed right in the middle—where human beings live.

Why the Birth of Jesus Still Makes Us Uncomfortable

We often soften the nativity story. We make it quiet, clean, and sentimental. But Scripture tells a different story.

Jesus entered a world that was already broken. He was born into poverty, instability, and uncertainty. He came into a reality that looked much more like the mess we see around us today than the peaceful scenes we tend to imagine.

That discomfort is telling.

Sometimes we struggle with the truth of Jesus’ birth not because God couldn’t bear it—but because we can’t. We don’t like to look at suffering. We don’t like to admit how broken the world is, or how broken we are.

But Jesus did not look away.

He came into the mess.

Does God Show Up in Brokenness Today?

Yes—and He always has.

The hope of the original nativity in Bethlehem is the same hope we cling to now: God can and does bear our suffering. Even when we can barely face it ourselves.

God did not shy away from human pain. He chose to be present in it.

Scripture reminds us of this Good News in Romans 1:2–7 (NLT)

“Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them… And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:5–6, NLT)

This is the heart of the Gospel:
God comes to us—where we are, as we are—and invites us into a life we could never create for ourselves. Jesus stepped into the middle of human brokenness so that none of us would ever face it alone.

When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t seek out the polished or the powerful first. He went to the homeless, the sick, the hurting, the ashamed, the forgotten. He healed, restored, and lifted people who had been pushed aside by the world. He wasn’t intimidated by their pain or offended by their mess. He moved toward it.

And He still does.

What If You Are the One Asking for a Sign?

Maybe you’re like Ahaz—hesitant, unsure, afraid to ask God for too much.
Maybe you feel like God has more important things to do.
Maybe you don’t want to know the answer He might give.

But the message of Scripture is clear:

God wants to show you who He is.
He invites you to ask.
And even when you don’t, He still offers a sign.

That sign is Jesus.

A Savior born not in perfection or privilege, but in poverty, struggle, and uncertainty. A Savior who came “between heaven and hell” so He could meet you in the exact place you feel stuck today.

What Does It Mean to Respond to This Good News?

Romans 10:8–10 (NLT) reminds us:

“The word is near you… If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Salvation is not complicated.
It is not distant.
It is not reserved for people who have it all together.

Salvation is near.
Close.
Personal.

It is the invitation Jesus extends to every person who hears the Good News.

And Scripture is also clear that once we receive it, we are called to share it:

“How can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14, NLT)

Those who have encountered Jesus become the ones who announce Him. Those who have been rescued from the “in-between” become the ones who help others find solid ground.

You are God’s trumpet—His messenger—carrying the same hope that changed your life.

A Prayer of Response

If today you want to receive salvation—the new life Jesus offers—pray something like this:

Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and I need You.
I believe You came for me, died for me, and rose again.
I turn away from my old life and choose to follow You.
Please forgive me, restore me, and make me new.
I trust You as my Lord and Savior.
Amen.

Scripture promises that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

If you prayed this, we want to walk with you.

A Next Step for All of Us

Whether you are new to faith or have walked with Jesus for years, the call remains the same:

Look for Jesus in the middle.
Respond to His presence.
Tell others what He has done.

This is the journey of salvation—
from waiting,
to witnessing,
to walking with Christ every day.

Join Us in Bradford, PA

If you’re in the Bradford area and searching for a church where you can learn, grow, and belong, we would love to meet you.

Join us Sundays at 9 & 11 AM
Open Arms Community Church
71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA

Plan your visit: http://openarmscommunitychurch.org/visit
Give online: http://openarmscommunitychurch.org/give

Wherever you find yourself—between heaven and hell, hopeful or hurting—
God is with you.
And you are not alone.